Expanded-metal lath



May 12, 1925. 7 1,537,588

L. E. CURTIS EXPANDED METAL LATH Filed May 31. 1923 2 Sheqts-Sheet 1 May 12, 1925. 1,537,588

L. E. CURTIS EXPANDED METAL LATH I Filed May 31. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 jewzlliz urz ab Patented May 12,1925. i lfiwfid NETED STATES PATENT OFFEC.

' LEWIS E. CURTIS, 'OF WARREN, OHIO. ASSIGNOR TO THE YOUNGSTOWN PRES SE1) STEEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

EXPANDED-METAL LATH.

Application filed May 31, 1923. Serial No. 642,633.

To all whom it may concern." blank indicated by the numeral12, which, in Be it known that L LEWIS E. CURTIS, a the subsequent evolution of the lath, become citizen of the United States, residing at longitudinal reinforcing members or ribs. l Varren, in the county of Trumbull and It will further be noted from a study of State of Ohio, have invented a new and use- Fig. 1 that the angular inclinations of the 60 ful Improvementin Expanded-Metal Lath, slits cut on each s1de of the intermediate of which the following is a specification. longitudinal stay portions 12 are opposite; The present invention relates to improvefor example, the slits in the portion indiments in expanded metal lath, and will be cated by the bracket 0/. in Fig. 1 are inclined fully understood from the following deopposite those in the portion indicated by 65 scription, illustrated by the accompanying the bracket 1;. drawings, in which: The blank, slitted in the manner just de- Figure 1 is a plan view (broken) of a scribed, is then subjected to grooving opslitted blank prepared for use in producing erations in order to groove the bonds 11. expanded metal lath in accordance with the The transverse rows of bonds 11 are alter- 7 present invention; nately grooved upwards and downwards. Fig. 2 is a sectional .view on the line 2 Thus, a row of bonds 11 may be grooved of Fig. 1; upwardly, so as to present a convex ap- Fig. 3 is a plan view (broken) of the pearance when viewed from above (see blank shown in Fig. 1 after the bonds have 4), and the next row of bonds 11 75 been ribbed or grooved; wi 1, be grooved downwardly, soas to Fig. 4 is a broken sectional view on the present a concave appearance when viewed line 4 of Fig. 3; I from above (Fig. 5). The next row Fig. 5 is a broken sectional view on the or bonds will again be grooved upwardly line 5 of Fig. 3; and the succeeding row downwardly. The 8 Fig. 6 is a broken'plan view of a portion grooving operation opens the slits 10 of the blank in the stage of operation subslightly, as shown clearly in Figs. 3, 4 and sequently to that shown in Fig. 3, the longi- 5 of the drawings. The appearance of the I tudinal stay portions being grooved; "blank at this stage of evolution is clearly 30. Fig. '7 is a broken sectional view on the shown 1n those figures, the sections being on 5 line 7 of Fig. 6; an enlargedscale.

Fig. 8 is a broken sectional view on the The longitudinal stay or solid portions line 8 of Fig. 6: are then grooved to form ribs, the grooves Figs, 9 and 10 are. enlarged broken secextending longitudinally 0f the blank. The

tional views on an' enlarged cal r -blank then assumes the appearance shown sponding to Figs. 7 and 8; in Fig. 6 and in sectional Figs. 7, 8,9 and Fig. 11 is a broken plan view on an en- 10. Figs. 9 and 10 correspond to Figs. 7 larged scaleof a portion of the blank in the and 8, being. however, on an enlarged scale.

stage of operation shown in Fig. 6; v From these figures the slight opening of the 40 Fig. 12 is a broken plan view of a portion slits 10 is more clearly apparent. Fi 11 of the lath after expansion; shows a marginal portion of the blan at Fig. 13 is a section on the broken line h st ge on a e ged scale. 1313 of Fig. 12, and The expanding mesh of the fabric is then Fig. 14 is a broken sectional view on the formed by lateral or transverse stretching line 14 of Fig. 12. or displacing of the portions of the sheet In producing an expanded lath in accordbetween the longitudinal ribs 12 and 12 ance with the present invention, a blank the numeral 12 being used to indicate the is first formed from relatively thin sheet ribs at the margins of the sheets or blanks. metal by forming at spaced intervals 1011- In the opening of the sheets in this manner, so gitudinal series of transverse rows of althe transverse rows of-bonds 11 and ,11 are ternately overlapping --inclined slits or cuts forced into a position in which they are in- 10. The slits cut in this manner leaves beclined to the transverse direction across the tween them bond portions 11. The trans-' sheet which they'previously occupied, the diverse spacing of the rows of the slots leaves, rection of inclination preferably being oplongitudinal solid or stay portions of the posite on opposite. sides of the intermediate closed by the latter are longer stays or solid portions 12. llhus, in Figs. 1, 3 and 6, it will be noted that the rows of bonds 11 and 11 extend transversely across the sheet; that is a line passing through their centers would be substantially perpendicularto the edges of the sheet. lln Fig. 7, the section line 8 is drawn through such a row of bonds 11, and it will be noted that in the expansion of the sheet, as already stated, this row of bonds has been forced into an inclined position. Every alternatefl rib or stay moving longitudinally with respect to those on each side of it. in the expanded blank at this state of evolution, the I open meshes 13 have the appearance of the meshes of that type of lath commonly designated as cup lath. It is to be noted, however, that on each side of the intermediate stays or solid longitudinal portions 12, the meshes are inclined diagonally and preferably in opposite directions, and the lines of grooving of the bonds are likewise diagonal and inclined in opposite directions. As a result of this construction, the expanded lath is greatly strengthened there being no lines of weakness extending longitudinally or transversely across the sheet. It is also to be noted that the expansion of the sheet or blank formed in not necessitate shortening the longitudinal stays or solid portions, 12, as the sides of the meshes 13 adjacent the stays 12 that are' than the other sides of the mesh. In the opening up of the blank, these meshes 13 are deformed a'scompared with the intermediate meshes and, by 'their deformation, in art take care of such longitudinal contraction as occurs as a result of the expansion of the sheet.

In describing the formation of expanded metallath in accordance with my invention, I have, for the purpose of illustration, described the operations upon the blanks in a specific sequence. may, however, carry out these steps in a different order or may carry out certain of them simultaneously by the use of certain apparatus without departing from my invention.

I claim:

1'. An expanded metal lath having spaced.

longitudinal stay portions and intermediate the manner described does deflected strands forming meshes having their median lines inclined at an angle to said stay portions and the bonds of said meshes being grooved.

2. An expanded metal lath having spaced longitudinal stay portions and intermediate deflected strands forming meshes having their median lines inclined at an angle to said stay portions, the meshes on opposite sides of each intermediate stay portion being angularly inclined in opposite directions and the bonds of said meshes being grooved.

3. An expanded metal lath having spaced longitudinal stay portions and intermediate deflected strands therebetween forming meshes, the bonds ofl said strands being arranged in rows inclined at an angle to said stay portions, and said rows of bonds being alternately grooved in opposite directions whereby a cupped mesh is formed.

4. An expanded metal lath having spaced longitudinal grooved ribs and intermediate deflected strands therebetween forming meshes, the bonds of said strands being arranged inrows inclined at an angle to saidgrooved. rib, and said rows of bonds being alternately grooved in opposite direction whereby a cu ped mesh is formed.

5. The met 0d of forming an expanded metal lath which includes the steps of providing in a sheet metal blank. spaced longitudinal series of transverse overlapping rows of inclined slits, the slits of the adjacent longitudinal series being oppositely inclined, oppositely grooving successive transverse rows of bonds between slits in said longitudinal series of slits transversely to open the slits thereby forming open meshes. i v

6. The method of forming an expanded metal lath which includes the step of providing in a-sheet metal blank spaced longituand extending the blank dinal series of transverse overlapping rows o f inclined slits, oppositely grooving successive transverse rows of bonds between slits in said longitudinal series of slits, grooving es. LEWIS E. CURTIS. 

